By Doreen Hemlock, Sun Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Jan. 27--Fort Lauderdale-based retailer AutoNation on Thursday reported record profits for the fourth quarter and 2011, stoked by more efficient operations and higher prices on the vehicles it sold. Consumers can expect to pay even more for new vehicles from all retailers this year, as buyers add more high-tech features to smaller rides and automakers keep new supplies in check, analysts said. The average price paid for new vehicles nationwide -- after incentives -- rose beyond $30,000 at the end of last year for the first...

By Matt Krantz, USA TODAY The recent stock rally has rekindled investors' love-hate relationship with the number 1300 -- as in 1300 on the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index. To some investors, 1300 is a beautiful number to see again, because it means the market is back to what has been its high level the past 13 years amid growing optimism about the economy. And getting to its current 1318, the S&P 500 is already up 4.8% this year. But 1300 is also a glaring reminder of just how little stocks have done for so long. While the S&P 500 has been above 1300 prior to this year's...

By Alisa Priddle, Detroit Free Press Jan. 27--The market did not appreciate Ford's fourth-quarter results -- bolstered by an accounting adjustment -- but which showed weakness outside North America. Ford shares tumbled 5.5% to $12.04 in the first half-hour of trading this morning after the automaker posted a $190 million loss in Europe and $83 million loss in Asia Pacific Africa. Barclays Capital analyst Brian Johnson said all regions were about $100 million below estimates. But the strength of the North American market and a non-cash accounting change contributed to a net...

By Alisa Priddle, Detroit Free Press Jan. 27--Ford reported strong fourth-quarter earnings today in closing out the automaker's most profitable year since 1998. The automaker had a net income of $13.6 billion or $3.40 a share in its 11th consecutive quarterly profit -- far exceeding the final months of 2010 when earnings fell 79% to $190 million. But operating profit for the quarter was $1.1 billion or 20 cents a share, a decrease of $189 million on sales of 1.4 billion vehicles. "The quarter was driven by North America," said Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth, the only region...

DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford says it made $13.4 billion in the fourth quarter, largely due to an accounting change. Without the gain, Ford Motor Co. earned $1.1 billion, or 20 cents per share, falling short of Wall Street's expectations. Analysts polled by FactSet forecast earnings of 25 cents per share. Ford earned 5 cents per share in the same quarter a year ago. Quarterly revenue rose 6 percent to $34.6 billion. It was Ford's 11th straight quarterly profit. The company recorded a big one-time gain after moving deferred tax assets back onto its books. For the full year, the...

By MARCY GORDON and DANIEL WAGNER WASHINGTON - Companies that were bailed out during the financial crisis still owe U.S. taxpayers nearly $133 billion. Treasury's plans to recoup that money have been slowed by the volatile stock market and weakness among smaller banks. Some of the money will never be recovered. That's the conclusion of the acting inspector general for the government's financial bailout. Some bailout programs, like the effort to reduce home foreclosures, will last as late as 2017, the inspector general said. Those programs could cost an additional $50 billion or...

By Laura Oleniacz, The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C. Jan. 24--Chick--fil--A closing at Northgate: The Chick--fil--A restaurant at Northgate Mall is closing, ending more than 37 years of operations at the location. The restaurant opened in 1974 at Northgate, said Paula Harris, marketing director for Northgate. That's the same year that the Northgate strip shopping center, built in 1960, was converted into an indoor shopping venue, according to the mall's website www.northgatemall.com. Harris said the Chick--fil--A is closing as the company shifts its focus to free--standing and...

By Jeremy C. Owens, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Jan. 25--Apple's (AAPL) stock reached new highs Wednesday morning, leading the Cupertino tech giant to reclaim the title of most valuable company in America thanks to a record-breaking holiday-shopping quarter. Apple's share price jumped more than 7 percent in after-hours shopping Tuesday afternoon, after the company announced that it had smashed records for revenue, profit and device sales in the final three months of 2011. The gain was sustained overnight and the stock opened at $454.45, more than $20 higher than Apple's...